Body bow rest and carrier

ABSTRACT

A bow holster and carrier provides an adjustable pocket or holster coupled to a support plate which is symmetrically aligned with the center line of the human body and encircles the waist of a user, the adjustable holster being adaptably configured to accommodate differently sized bow and bow types. The support plate is secured to the waist of the user by use of a strap. A slide track assembly provides for a means to insert the holster onto or to remove the holster from the support plate.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Bows are widely known to be used in the practice of hunting and archery, each activity requiring different levels of skill. Along with different skills, the hunter or archer may use bows with different configurations, different sizes and different types altogether depending on the target and on performance sought. Regardless of configuration, size or type, all bows will begin to weigh down its user when carried for a length of time. This affects a user's stamina making it difficult to carry in a shooting position, and furthermore, will affect the user's accuracy. To relieve the strain of carrying the bow in the hand some archers sling the bow over their shoulder, however, this method is cumbersome and inconvenient as it takes the bow out of the shooting position. Resting the bow on the ground is also inconvenient because the bow is again out of shooting position and the bow may gather debris picked up from the ground.

Bow holsters or carriers have come into practice to aid in the carrying of bows in the upright position and off the ground. Such holsters are strapped around the waist and can be configured to carry a bow in different positions or arrangements. Some holsters will receive the lower end to the bow to bear the weight in an upright position. Other holsters latch onto the limb of the bow, where the latch is to one side of the waist of the archer, tucking the bow under one of the archer's arm and thus out of shooting position.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,807 (Lyon) discloses a bow holster for compound bows. The bow is secured by a system of straps: one strap connected to the belt of the user, a second strap configured as a holster in which the lower end of the bow may be deposited, and a third strap that wraps around the user's thigh with a function to hold the holster steady. The bow is supported at its bottom by the holster and, to maintain the bow in the upright position, again in the grip section of the bow by one of the user's hands. U.S. Pat. No. 4,121,743 (Burton) discloses another bow holster having an interlock system attached so a user's belt and off to one side of the user. The bow is tucked under one of the user's arms and out of shooting position.

Bow holsters in the past have not been able to support the full weight of a bow in the upright position without some aid from a user, nor have they allowed the simultaneous use of either the right or left hand for shooting. Furthermore, bow holsters do not include an adaptability feature in the holster to accommodate the configuration of the bow end of different types, sizes and styles of bows.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a holster for carrying the full weight of a bow while in an upright, shooting position. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a bow holster that can be adjusted to receive differently configured bows.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a bow holster that can be used to shoot with either hand without the need to transfer the holster from one side to the other. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a bow holster that aligns the centerline of a human body with a target.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is intended to provide a flexible holster or holder for archery bows, where the bow is carried in the upright shooting position and capable of being operated simultaneously by either hand. The bow can be free standing in the upright position without the aid of the user's hands allowing the user to rest both arms or perform some other task with the user's hands. In further description, the particular apparatus may be described as a flexible support plate for encircling the waist of a user with an adjustable holster or cradle distending therefrom in the front of the user. The support plate is symmetric around the centerline of the human body and the adjustable holster is disposed on the support plate, aligned symmetrically with the same centerline. The holster is adjustable to receive differently configured bows having sufficient clearance for compound bows as well as other types. A waist strap or belt is affixed to the support plate and wraps around the waist of the user to secure the support plate to the user's body. The waist strap can be interwoven with belt slots on the support plate or affixed by rivets, or by some other means. Additionally securing straps may be provided to laterally secure the holster from lateral flexing during walking. Another feature may include a neck support that is a strap or harness that wraps around the back of the neck of the user and is attached to the support plate to aid in supporting the weight of the bow. Furthermore, in order to facilitate storing, packing, cleaning and transporting when the holster in not in use, the holster can be removed from the flexible support plate and then reattached when in use.

The holster is adjustable in that a front limb support, such as a pin or bolt, where a front section of the limb of the bow can rest against the support and the front limb support can be set at different positions depending on the size, type or configuration of the bow. The holster also has a side support located on each side of the holster. The side supports abut the lower end of the bow limb, as well as the lower cam of the bow, from both sides in order to hold the lower end of the bow in place and prevent the bow from shifting within the holster. Utilizing both the front limb support and the side supports enables the holster to support the full weight of the bow while in the upright shooting position.

Within the holster there may be adjustment bushings positioned vertically, parallel with the centerline, along the back wall of the holster. The bushings act as buffers for the sides of the cam and are adjustable for a snug fit to the cam so that the cam does not wobble within the holster or slide side to side. Furthermore, the side plates may have another corresponding set of holes for accepting a stiffener bolt. The stiffener bolt can be tightened or loosened to adjust the rigidness of the side plates.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings forms which are presently preferred; it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown.

FIG. 1 is a front plan view of the bow rest and carrier of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the holster portion of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the holster portion taken along Lines 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. The description is not intended in a limiting sense, and is made solely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention. The various features and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, where like numerals refer to like parts or elements, there is shown in FIG. 1 a body bow rest 10 having a support plate 12, an adjustable holster 14, and a waist strap 16. Support plate 12 is flexible and is configured to encircle the waist of the user. Support plate 12 is also symmetrical, with the line of symmetry being aligned with the centerline of the human body. Adjustable holster 14 is coupled, in front of the user, to support plate 12, centered along the line of symmetry of support plate 12. Waist strap 16 is interwoven through belt slots 18 and aid in securing support plate 12 to the waist of the user.

Adjustable holster 14 is attached to support plate 12 through the use of a pair of slide tracks 20, a pair of slide rails 22, and a stopper 24 located at the lower end of slide tracks 20. Slide rails 22 are configured to slide in and out of slide tracks 20. Upon insertion of adjustable holster 14 onto support plate 12, slide rails 22 slide within slide tracks 20 until positioned at the lower end of slide tracks 20 where stopper 24 holds adjustable holster 14 in position for holstering a bow. Support plate 12 may also be configured with support holes 26 for attaching a neck support strap to the device for aiding the user in bearing the weight of a bow.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, showing an enlarged view and a sectional view of adjustable holster 14, respectively, adjustable holster 14 comprises slide rails 22, and two parallel side plates, a first side plate 30 and a second side plate 32, the side plates being mirror images of each other. One slide rail of slide rails 22 is coupled to first side plate 30 and the other slide rail of slide rails 22 is coupled to second side plate 32. Each side plate of first side plate 30 and second side plate 32 has a plurality of adjustment holes 34, each hole of the plurality of adjustment holes 34 of first side plate 30 being axially aligned with a corresponding hole of the plurality of adjustment holes 34 of second side plate 32. A front limb support 36 for supporting a limb of a bow is placed through a hole of the plurality of adjustment holes 34 of first side plate 30 and through a corresponding hole of the plurality of adjustment holes 34 of second side plate 32. Front limb support 36 can be moved interchangeably between the plurality of adjustment holes 34 to account for different types, sizes and configurations of bows. A side guide support 38 coupled to side plate 30 and a side guide support 39 coupled to side plate 32 support the lower end of the bow and the cam of a bow from each side.

A stiffener 40 may be used in conjunction with a stiffener hole 42 and a stiffener hole 44. Stiffener hole 42 is defined by first side plate 30 and is axially aligned with stiffener hole 44 that is defined by second side plate 32. Stiffener 40 is placed through the two holes, stiffener hole 42 and stiffener hole 44, and may be tightened or loosened to adjust the rigidness of the side plates.

Also included are a pair of adjustment bushings 46 that are adjustable to snugly fit against the sides of the cam of a bow. Adjustment bushings 46 are positioned vertically, parallel to the centerline of support plate 12 and are configured to act as a buffer against the cam to prevent the cam and the bow from moving from side to side within the holster.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and, accordingly, the described embodiments are to be considered in all respects as being illustrative and not restrictive, with the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, rather than the foregoing detailed description, as indicating the scope of the invention as well as all modifications which may fall within a range of equivalency which are also intended to be embraced therein.

Invention Element Listing

-   10 Body Bow Rest -   12 Support Plate -   14 Adjustable Holster -   16 Waist Strap -   18 Belt Slots -   20 Slide Tracks -   22 Slide Rails -   24 Stopper -   26 Support Holes -   30 First Side Plate -   32 Second Side Plate -   34 Plurality of Adjustment Holes -   36 Front Limb Support -   38 Side Guide Support -   39 Side Guide Support -   40 Stiffener -   42 Stiffener Hole -   44 Stiffener Hole -   46 Pair of Adjustment Bushings 

1. A bow holster and carrier comprising: a. a support plate for encircling the waist of a user, the support plate being substantially symmetrically aligned with the center line of the human body; b. a waist strap coupled to the support plate for securing the support plate around the waist of the user; c. an adjustable holster distending from the center line of the support plate in the front of the user, the adjustable holster adaptably configured to accommodate differently sized bows and bow types; and d. a slide track assembly configured for the insertion of the adjustable holster onto and the removal of the adjustable holster from the support plate.
 2. The bow holster and carrier of claim 1, wherein the adjustable holster includes: a. a front limb support for supporting a limb of a bow; b. a first side plate defining a first plurality of adjustment holes configured to accept the placement of the front limb support; c. a second side plate substantially parallel to the first side plate and defining a second plurality of adjustment holes configured to accept the placement of the front limb support, each of the second plurality of adjustment holes being axially aligned with a corresponding hole within the first plurality of adjustment holes; d. a first side guide support coupled to the first side plate for supporting a lower end portion of the limb of a bow and for supporting a lower cam of a bow; e. a second side guide support coupled to the second side plate for supporting the lower end portion of the limb of a bow and for supporting the lower cam of a bow; and f. at least one adjustment bushing adjustably configured to accept different sizes and types of cams.
 3. The bow holster and carrier of claim 2, wherein the adjustable holster further includes a stiffening fastener for adjusting the rigidness of the first and second side plate.
 4. The bow holster and carrier of claim 1, wherein the slide track assembly includes: a. a pair of slide tracks; b. a pair of slide rails configured to slide laterally within the pair of slide tracks; and c. a stopper at one end of the pair of slide tracks for holding the adjustable holster in place when attached to the support plate.
 5. The bow holster and carrier of claim 1, further including the support plate defining a pair of support holes near the waist of the user for attaching a neck support strap to the device for aiding the user in bearing the weight of a bow. 